Tips from Charlie: 5 Quick Tips to Make the Most of E-Tutoring
Online tutoring is growing in popularity, and it is important that tutors know the subtle differences between online tutoring and in-person tutoring. It is not just the technology that sets these tutoring styles apart, but the approaches and communication methods used.
Below are 5 quick tips you can use for polishing up your online tutoring skills. You'll most likely recognize a lot of these tips from in-person tutoring scenarios, but with some very subtle changes to make them more fitted to online tutoring.
Enjoy!
Tip #1: Adapt to the comfort level of your tutee. Don't overload him or her with a bunch of different types of technology and communication methods (i.e live chat, email, message board, etc.) before your tutoring even begins; ask what types of communication preferences your tutee has. If he or she likes live chat tutoring, then go for that approach. If your tutee works best via forum posting, then use that tutoring approach. The point is that you want the tutoring session to be comfortable for your tutee so that he or she can focus entirely on the learning, and not on the technology.
Tip# 2: Be patient with your tutee. If you are live chat tutoring, or tutoring in some other way that allows instant discussions, allow ample time for your tutee to answer your questions. There is nothing more frustrating for a tutee than attempting to work through a problem only to be cut off by the tutor.
If a significant amount of time has passed, you may want to check in with your tutee to make sure that he or she is still working, but make sure that you give the tutee plenty of time so that he or she doesn't feel rushed. A rushed tutoring session is never successful.
Patience on the part of the tutor is even more important in online tutoring situations that involve email or forum postings - make sure your tutee feels heard, but never make him or feel rushed. Not every silence needs to be filled in by the tutor. Sometimes your tutee is contemplating a concept, or the next step of the problem.
Tip #3: Keep your online tutoring time relaxed, friendly, and open. Your tutoring session should put your tutee at ease, and make him or her comfortable enough to try new concepts, answer questions, etc.
The dialogue between you two during tutoring also doesn't have to be perfect in spelling or grammatical structure (with the exception of English, language arts, etc.). Often, typing quickly into live chat can yield a few typos; don't worry about these, just stay focused on the tutoring. If you are tutoring math, for example, you shouldn't spend time correcting the tutee's live chat sentence structure when you could be helping him or her with algebra. Focus on the subject at hand, not just how your tutee phrases questions and answers. This will not only make the tutoring more productive, but it will also keep your tutee from feeling self-conscious about his or her participation during he tutoring session.
Tip #4: Be flexible during tutoring, just like you would be in a traditional tutoring environment. You may expect a set number of problems or things to be done during the tutoring session, but it is important to move at the pace that your tutee is most comfortable with. Let your tutee's knowledge and progress drive the tutoring session. If that means getting a bit less, or a bit more, done than you had planned, then so be it.
Tip #5: Keep your tutoring fresh and interesting. Try contributing new discussions, activities, and thought provoking exercises for your tutee during each tutoring session. Come up with ways of opening up dialogue with your tutee that gets him or her thinking about the subject in a bunch of different ways. Ask questions that make your tutee think. Talk about new, innovative ways of solving problems.
An enthusiastic tutor keeps tutees excited about learning, so never underestimate your attitude - it can make or break a tutoring session!
Good luck out there in tutoring cyberspace!
-Charlie
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Ask Micki: Tutee lied to me during tutoring
Question: Hi, Micki. I recently had a problem during a tutoring session, and I was hoping you could help me. My tutee and I were working on some math problems, and I busted out one of my tutor training techniques (i.e. not doing your tutee's homework).
I asked her whether or not the problems were part her upcoming take-home final, and she told me, "no," that they were practice problems sent home as a worksheet by her professor.
Well, during our next tutoring session she showed me her graded take-home test, and I was shocked! She had lied to me about the problems being practice problems, and had inadvertently gotten me to do a bunch of her math final for her.
Honestly, I'm ticked off at being duped, and feel like she cheated. When I asked her about it, she just laughed it off, said I was easy to fool, and started talking about the next math class she'll need help with.
Due to integrity issues, and feeling like our tutoring ethics don't mesh, I dropped her from my tutoring schedule. My question is: What should I do to make sure this doesn't happen again at one of my other tutoring sessions? Thanks!
- J.A., a ticked off tutor in VA
Answer: Hi, there, ticked off tutor. First of all, sorry to hear about your unpleasant tutoring situation. It is always tough when a tutee breaks the tutor-tutee trust that takes at least a few tutoring sessions to build. In this case, your tutee pretty much lied to you, and tricked you into doing her final exam - not cool, and it won't serve her well as she takes more math classes in the future.
Second, good for you staying ethical, trying to do the right thing, and looking elsewhere for tutoring clients. There are plenty of tutees who are willing to put in the time and effort learning new skills, and you will be better off working with people who care about academic integrity.
Now, on to your question. To prevent this kind of thing from happening during future tutoring sessions, try the following steps:
1. Try out a learning contract. As strange as it may sound, a learning contract often gives the tutor and tutee a more formal framework for tutoring sessions, keeps the tutee accountable for his or her actions, and serves as a reminder that certain behaviors are expected for a good learning/tutoring experience.
2. Talk to your tutee about why tutoring is not a homework service. It could be that your tutee doesn't understand why you won't do homework for them. Let your tutee know that by working problems (rather than just doing their homework), you are helping them learn a skill that they can take with them into the classroom. The skills they learn through tutoring will also be helpful later, when they need to build on that knowledge to master more advanced material.
3. Review the take-home tests and homework prior to starting each tutoring session. Let the tutee know that you will be looking at the test/homework before the session so that you will know what concepts you need to tutor. It is also a good idea to look over the test/homework after it is graded. Checking out the test/homework works well not only because you get to see exactly what problems are on there, but also because the tutee knows that you are aware of what is on the test/homework prior to tutoring. It will keep your tutee honest.
Good luck and, as always, happy tutoring!
~ Micki
I asked her whether or not the problems were part her upcoming take-home final, and she told me, "no," that they were practice problems sent home as a worksheet by her professor.
Well, during our next tutoring session she showed me her graded take-home test, and I was shocked! She had lied to me about the problems being practice problems, and had inadvertently gotten me to do a bunch of her math final for her.
Honestly, I'm ticked off at being duped, and feel like she cheated. When I asked her about it, she just laughed it off, said I was easy to fool, and started talking about the next math class she'll need help with.
Due to integrity issues, and feeling like our tutoring ethics don't mesh, I dropped her from my tutoring schedule. My question is: What should I do to make sure this doesn't happen again at one of my other tutoring sessions? Thanks!
- J.A., a ticked off tutor in VA
Answer: Hi, there, ticked off tutor. First of all, sorry to hear about your unpleasant tutoring situation. It is always tough when a tutee breaks the tutor-tutee trust that takes at least a few tutoring sessions to build. In this case, your tutee pretty much lied to you, and tricked you into doing her final exam - not cool, and it won't serve her well as she takes more math classes in the future.
Second, good for you staying ethical, trying to do the right thing, and looking elsewhere for tutoring clients. There are plenty of tutees who are willing to put in the time and effort learning new skills, and you will be better off working with people who care about academic integrity.
Now, on to your question. To prevent this kind of thing from happening during future tutoring sessions, try the following steps:
1. Try out a learning contract. As strange as it may sound, a learning contract often gives the tutor and tutee a more formal framework for tutoring sessions, keeps the tutee accountable for his or her actions, and serves as a reminder that certain behaviors are expected for a good learning/tutoring experience.
2. Talk to your tutee about why tutoring is not a homework service. It could be that your tutee doesn't understand why you won't do homework for them. Let your tutee know that by working problems (rather than just doing their homework), you are helping them learn a skill that they can take with them into the classroom. The skills they learn through tutoring will also be helpful later, when they need to build on that knowledge to master more advanced material.
3. Review the take-home tests and homework prior to starting each tutoring session. Let the tutee know that you will be looking at the test/homework before the session so that you will know what concepts you need to tutor. It is also a good idea to look over the test/homework after it is graded. Checking out the test/homework works well not only because you get to see exactly what problems are on there, but also because the tutee knows that you are aware of what is on the test/homework prior to tutoring. It will keep your tutee honest.
Good luck and, as always, happy tutoring!
~ Micki
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Ask Micki: How to Price Tutoring Services
Question: Hi, Micki. I am a new tutor (just got my ITA certification, and have been tutoring elementary school-high school math for a few weeks), and I am having a hard time pricing my tutoring services. I don't want to overcharge for tutoring, but I also don't want to price myself so low that I am looked at as a bargain tutor who isn't good enough to be competitively priced. Any tips?
Thanks!
Amy, a new tutor
Answer: Hi, Amy, thanks for the question! Pricing can be a tricky thing for tutors, especially when they are just starting their tutoring career. On one hand, you don't want to price yourself too low and give the impression that your tutoring is not worth a higher price (not to mention the fact that it would be hard to make a living as a tutor if you charged rock bottom prices). On the other hand, you don't want to charge so much that no one can afford your tutoring.
Generally, about $25-$35 an hour is pretty standard, but I have talked to a few tutors who charge upwards of $70 per hour. Likewise, I have talked to a few tutors who charge lower rates ($17-$20/hour) for friends and family.
Usually, a good guideline is that the more difficult the subject matter, the higher the price.
So, a tutor who tutors a college student in Linear Algebra or calculus will typically charge more than a tutor who tutors a first grader in fractions.
Your rate can also vary by region - I notice that tutors in college towns and larger cities usually charge a bit more than tutors who work in smaller, more rural communities.
Good luck, and as always - Happy Tutoring!
Thanks!
Amy, a new tutor
Answer: Hi, Amy, thanks for the question! Pricing can be a tricky thing for tutors, especially when they are just starting their tutoring career. On one hand, you don't want to price yourself too low and give the impression that your tutoring is not worth a higher price (not to mention the fact that it would be hard to make a living as a tutor if you charged rock bottom prices). On the other hand, you don't want to charge so much that no one can afford your tutoring.
Generally, about $25-$35 an hour is pretty standard, but I have talked to a few tutors who charge upwards of $70 per hour. Likewise, I have talked to a few tutors who charge lower rates ($17-$20/hour) for friends and family.
Usually, a good guideline is that the more difficult the subject matter, the higher the price.
So, a tutor who tutors a college student in Linear Algebra or calculus will typically charge more than a tutor who tutors a first grader in fractions.
Your rate can also vary by region - I notice that tutors in college towns and larger cities usually charge a bit more than tutors who work in smaller, more rural communities.
Good luck, and as always - Happy Tutoring!
Friday, January 1, 2010
Happy 2010!
A quick blog posting from all of us at ITA to say Happy New Year everyone!
Wishing all of you a joyous 2010!
Wishing all of you a joyous 2010!
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